Lilli Reyes
BBQ chicken pizza is a classic recipe that is both sweet and savoury. The pizza typically features BBQ sauce, chicken, cheese, and onion, but there are many other toppings that can be added to make the pizza even more delicious and exciting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Base | Pre-baked pizza crust |
| Sauce | Tangy, spicy, or sweet BBQ sauce |
| Meat | Chicken (cooked and cubed, shredded, or diced) |
| Cheese | Mozzarella, Colby-Jack, smoked gouda, or Monterey jack |
| Vegetables | Peppers (sliced pepperoncini or jalapeños), red onion (thinly sliced or chopped), or cilantro |
BBQ sauce
Firstly, you can opt for a store-bought BBQ sauce, with popular brands including Sweet Baby Ray's. When choosing a store-bought option, consider whether you prefer a smoky or sweeter sauce. You can also experiment with different flavours, such as a spicier sauce or even a pineapple-flavoured BBQ sauce, to add an extra kick to your pizza.
Alternatively, you can make your own BBQ sauce from scratch. This allows you to customise the flavour to your taste and control the ingredients used. You can find various recipes for homemade BBQ sauce online, giving you the flexibility to create a sauce that perfectly complements your pizza.
Regardless of whether you choose a store-bought or homemade sauce, the amount of BBQ sauce you use can also be adjusted to your preference. Some recipes suggest using about 1/3 cup of sauce, while others use up to 1/2 cup. You can also add more sauce if you prefer your pizza extra saucy or serve some on the side for dipping.
When assembling your pizza, spread the BBQ sauce evenly on top of the pizza dough, creating a delicious base for the other toppings. You can also toss the cooked chicken with some BBQ sauce before adding it to the pizza to prevent the chicken from drying out and enhance the overall flavour.
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Chicken
Before adding the chicken to your pizza, toss it in BBQ sauce to prevent it from drying out. You can also add spices to your chicken. One recipe suggests combining smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and seasoning both sides of your chicken breast with the mix.
You'll need about 1 cup of chicken for your pizza.
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Cheese
Mozzarella
Mozzarella is a classic choice for pizza, and it pairs well with the other flavours on a BBQ chicken pizza. It has a mild, creamy taste that melts beautifully, giving you that classic, stretchy, cheesy texture.
Smoked Gouda
Smoked gouda is a popular choice for BBQ chicken pizza as it adds a deep, smoky flavour that complements the sweet BBQ sauce. It has a rich, savoury taste that stands out against the other ingredients. If you want to lean into the smokiness, this is a great choice.
Colby-Jack
Colby-Jack is a combination of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. Colby-Jack has a mild, slightly sweet and sharp flavour with a creamy texture. It melts well and is a good choice if you want a more subtle cheese flavour that won't overpower the other toppings.
Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack is a mild, creamy cheese with a subtle tang. It melts well and is a good choice if you want a cheese that will enhance the other flavours without being too strong.
Feta
Feta is a surprising choice for a BBQ chicken pizza, but it works! The salty, tangy flavour of feta is a delicious contrast to the sweet BBQ sauce. It adds a nice creamy texture and a unique flavour to the pizza.
When choosing cheese for your BBQ chicken pizza, you can opt for just one variety or a combination of two or more. Experiment with different types of cheese to find your perfect flavour profile!
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Red onion
If you are using raw red onion, simply slice or chop and add as a topping. However, if you want to add a unique twist, you can caramelise the onions first. This will take about an hour, but it is worth the effort and can be done ahead of time. Heat some olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat, then add your sliced onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes until caramelised. You can then add the onions to your pizza before baking.
The amount of red onion you use will depend on your taste preferences and the size of your pizza. Most recipes suggest using half a small onion or around 1/4-1/2 cup of sliced or chopped onion.
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Cilantro
The amount of cilantro added to a BBQ chicken pizza is usually around 1/4 to 1/2 a cup, chopped. This is enough to add a subtle citrusy, summery flavour without being overpowering.
Some people may not like the taste of cilantro, so it can be replaced with fresh basil, or left off the pizza entirely.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use any BBQ sauce you like, but it's best to use a tangy, sweet, and smoky sauce. You will need about 1/3 cup of sauce, but you can add more if you like extra sauce.
It is best to use two types of cheese for BBQ chicken pizza. Mozzarella is a classic choice, and you can pair it with smoked gouda, pepper jack, or Colby-Jack cheese for a smoky flavor.
Besides BBQ sauce, chicken, and cheese, you can add sliced red onions, cilantro, peppers, and caramelized onions to your pizza. You can also experiment with other toppings like pineapple, feta cheese, or jalapenos.
